Nearly all snowboard bases are made with a type of polyethylene. Often referred to as "P-Tex," this polyethylene is specially formulated to provide a stable, durable and wax absorbent surface for the bottom of snowboards. P-Tex comes in pellet form and is either melted or pressed together to form a snowboard base. The production method produces two different types of board base, sintered and extruded. Sintered bases are made by pressing the pellets together under high pressure and extruded bases are made from melting the pellets into a solid base. Sintered and extruded bases provide offer very different advantages, but to the naked eye they appear identical.
Step 1
Check the manufacturer sticker and information booklet when you purchase your snowboard. Most snowboards will identify whether the base is sintered or extruded near the details regarding core material, length, width and flex.
Step 2
Contact the manufacturer by phone or by e-mail and ask a representative. Most manufacturer contact information is offered on their website. Collect as many details about the board as possible including model year, model name, color and dimensions.
Step 3
Consider the price of the snowboard. Extruded base snowboards are cheaper to make and therefore are usually less expensive. If your snowboard was very inexpensive, chances are that it is extruded. A more expensive snowboard is probably sintered.
Step 4
Monitor your wax consumption. Sintered base snowboards hold their wax better than extruded bases. If you find that waxing is necessary more frequently for you than for your fellow riders, you may have an extruded base snowboard.
Step 5
Ask a sales representative or snowboard repair shop technician that is familiar with your style of snowboard. Though you cannot see the difference with your eyes, some individuals that have worked with lots of snowboards may remember whether yours is extruded or sintered.
Tips and Warnings
- There is a third type of snowboard base that is not made of P-tex. Instead, it is made from graphite. Graphite snowboards are typically very expensive and used solely for racing.
Things You'll Need
- Manufacturer sticker or information booklet
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